Sanitary container



Feb. 27, 1934. R. A. DouGHl-:RTY

SANITARY ONTAINER Filed March 27, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 nvenlor /aiaeraay/zerzy 1 B @www `/qllomey Feb. 27, 1934. R. A. DouGHERTY SANITARY CONTAINER Filed March 27, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 flllomey Patented Feb. 27, 193.4

UNITED STATES SANITARY CONTAINER Robert A. Dougherty, San Francisco, Calif.

Application March 27,

2Claims.

'Ihis invention relates to containers and more particularly to a container for drinking straws and the like.

In accordance with the present invention a container of the character above suggested is provided for holding straws or the like and which will be substantially dust-proof, will prevent the hand from coming into contact with the end portion of a straw when removing a straw from the container, and further which can be manufactured and retailed for a nominal price.

The invention together with its numerous objects and advantages will be best understood from a study of the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:-

Figure 1 is a top plan View of the container,

Figure 2 is a side elevational view thereof showing two positions of a slidably and hingedly mounted lid.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view on the line 3 3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an end elevational view of the container.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 5--5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of a corner portion of the container at one end of the latter.

Referring to the drawings by reference numerals it will be seen that 5 indicates a container which in the present instance is of elongated rectangular construction having a bottom wall 6, side walls 7, end walls 9, and top wall 10. The container may be made of wood, metal, glass or any other suitable material.

The wall 9 at one end of the container is provided wlth a relatively large lling opening 11 through which the straws or other articles are passed into the container. A slide door 12 1S provided for the opening 11, and the wall 9 about the opening is provided with a groove 13 providing a guide for the door or slide 12. At one end the door 12 is provided with a ilange 14 to facilitate manipulation of the door.

The container 5 intermediate its ends and on one side of the transverse center thereof is provided with a hand hole 15, and in forming the hole 15 it will be noted that a portion of the top wall 10 and one side wall, in the present instance side wall 8 is cut away (see Figures 1 to 3 inclusive).

Provided in the top wall 10 is an elongated slot 16 that extends from one end of the opening 15 toward the proximate end of the casing and 1933. Serial No. 663,038

(Cl. S12-73) this slot is provided to laccommodate one end of the straw to facilitate withdrawing a straw from the container.

A cover or lid 17 common to the hand hole 15 and slot 16 is provided. A cover or lid 17 is associated with the container 5 in a manner to provide for sliding and swinging movement of the lid relative to the container. In this connection it will be noted that the wall 7 is joined with the top wall 10 by a transversely curved portion 18 which provides a hinge sleeve that slidably and rotatably accommodates a complemental tubular hinge member 19 formed integrally with the cover or lid 17 at one edge of the latter. As is obvious the hinge member 19 is formed by rolling or otherwise shaping into tubular form one edge portion of the cover 17. There is also integral with the hinge member 19 a longitudinal flange 20 that extends at substantially right angles to the lid 17 and obviously by grasping the flange 20 manip- 76 ulation of the lid 17 either for swinging it relative to the container 5, or for sliding it longitudinally of the container is facilitated. As its free edge the lid 17 is provided with a depending skirt 21 to slidably engage the outer face of the wall 8 for closing the notched portion of the wall forming part of the hand hole 15.

In actual use the straws or the like are placed into the container through the opening 11 after which the door 12 is closed. The lid 17 is normally in the full line position shown in the drawings. When it is desired to remove a straw from the container the operator by grasping the lid 20 may uncover the hand hole 15 and slot 16 by either sliding the lid to the dotted line position shown in Figure 2 or by swinging the lid vertically as is apparent.

With the lid in the dotted line position shown in Figure 2 a straw is removed by inserting the hand into the casing through the hole 15 and in initially removing the straw from the container one end thereof is passed through the slot 16 thus permitting the straw to be readily withdrawn from the container without the lingers coming into direct Contact with either end of the straw.

It will be found that in actual practice a container embodying the features of the present invention will be practically dustproof, will preclude unsanitary handling of the straws; and while I have herein shown and described the preferred embodiment of the invention it is to be understood that I do not wish to limit myself to the exact form as shown and described, and accordingly claim all such forms of the invention to which I am entitled in view of the requirement of the prior art and the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is:

1. A device of the class described comprising a container composed of bottom, front and rear walls, end walls and a top wall, said top wall having an opening therein, the upper edge of the rear wall terminating an appreciable distance below the plane of the top wall and the rear edge of the top wall terminating an appreciable distance from the plane of the rear wall, a substantially semi-circular wall connecting the rear edge of the top wall with the upper edge of the rear wall, said semi-circular wall extending inwardly, a klid for covering the opening in the topwall, the rear edge of said lid being rolled to form a cylindrical part which depends from said rear edge of the lid and slidingly and rotatably engages the semicircular wall to slidably and hingedly connect the lid with the upper rear corner of the container.

2. A device of the class described comprising a container composed of bottom, front and rear walls, end walls and a top wall, said top wall having an opening therein, the upper edge of the rear wall terminating an appreciable distance below the plane of the top wall and the rear edge of the top wall terminating an appreciable distance from the plane of the rear wall, a substantially semi-circular wall connecting the rear edge of the top wall with the upper edge of the rear wall, said semi-circular wall extending inwardly, a lid for covering the opening in the top wall, the rear edge of said lid being rolled to form a cylindrical part which depends from said rear edge of the lid and slidingly and rotatably engages the semicircular wall to slidably and hingedly connect the lid with the upper rear corner of the container, said front wall having an opening in its upper portion communicating with the opening in the top wall and said top wall having a slot therein adjacent its front portion, the inner end of which communicates with the opening in the top wall and said lid having a depending front flange for closing the opening in the front wall.

ROBERT A. DOUGHERTY. 

